A New Beginning
by Melchor
Summary: Haku had survived, while Zabuza did not. An opportunity for a fresh start is given to him. Meanwhile, someone else had found out about the world of Youkai Gakuen, and has taken an unhealthy interest in it.
1. Chapter 1

**A.N. **Another crossover, this time with Haku as a main protagonist. I'm currently in limbo, still waiting to hear back for certain things, and decided to flesh out another idea from one of my flights of fancy in the meantime. May become Haku x harem, who knows. Because even the girliest looking guys deserves to have one.

As usual, I do not own Naruto or Rosario + Vampire. They are the works of Kishimoto Masashi and Ikeda Akihisa, respectively.

* * *

**Nami no Kuni**

Haku looks down, as the water from the rain mixes with his own tears. His clothes are torn and singed, testament to the desperate struggle he went through not too long ago. The rainwater is soaking through his clothes, and his body is slowly registering the chill of the cold water through the damp clothing. All this, however, means nothing to him, as he stands before the final resting place of the man who had taught him everything he knew. His mind relives the previous days, when his life changed once again, just like it did eight years ago.

* * *

**Flashback **

He was standing there before him, defeated, and his mask broken. Haku had urged Naruto to kill him, knowing that he had failed Zabuza, who no doubt would discard him as easily as he would a broken kunai. He had failed in his purpose, and been unable to incapacitate Naruto as he had already done for the other boy on Naruto's team. Naruto had hesitated, visibly struggling with the decision. Everything about the boy, at that moment, indicated that he was still naïve, to the experienced eye of Haku. Someone who had yet to take a life. Someone who did not know what it meant to become a true shinobi. That would soon change, as Haku presented him his first experience of killing a man. Haku looked at Naruto, sad, but resolute. The boy had been adamant that there must be another way, but Haku told him there were none. This was all for the best.

Then, just as Naruto made up his mind, and began to approach him with a kunai in his hand, Haku saw, from the corner of his eyes, that Kakashi had trapped Zabuza. The situation looked dire, with Zabuza completely defenseless and immobile beneath the pile of dogs. The blazing blue orb crackled in Kakashi's hand, and he was rushing towards the nuke-nin, with the full intention of ending Zabuza's life. Haku had stopped Naruto in his progress, and quickly began making the hand seals to form an ice mirror, in a desperate attempt to reach Zabuza before Kakashi. He had failed in stopping the Konoha genin, but he could still protect his master, and give Zabuza another chance to get away.

However, Naruto misconstrued his actions as an act of deceit, and with a roar of rage tackled Haku to the ground, breaking Haku's concentration. He only needed another half a second to complete the seals, but the disruption was enough to ruin his effort. While he frantically tried to fight off Naruto, Haku's despairing eyes looked back towards his sensei. It was too late.

Kakashi had stopped running, with his hand now plunged through Zabuza's chest.

* * *

What happened afterwards was only a blur to Haku. The most relevant point was that Gato had showed up, loudly boasting of his treachery. Haku, in return, made the man pay for it with his life. He was willing to take on the armed mob also, in his state of anguish, had it not been for the timely appearance of Nami's citizens, finally rising up to throw away the hold that Gato had on them for so many years.

As a sign of penance, Haku had silently assisted with the construction of the remaining portions of the bridge. The distrust and hostility with which the residents of Nami held for him quickly evaporated, when they saw his grief, and the nightly vigil he kept for his fallen master after work. Tazuna and his family had entreated that he stay on, if need be, and were obviously concerned for his wellbeing. He politely refused them. This place will forever be the place where his dream ended, a source of constant heartache for the rest of his life.

However fortunate he may have been to survive the ordeal, it still does not change the fact that Momochi Zabuza, former member of the Kiri ANBU corps as well as the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, is forever gone from his world. Truly, he has no one left now.

He had thought of, and then immediately dismissed the idea of going to Konoha. Naruto and his team had asked him if he wanted to go with them, and he had turned them down. Really, could they really do anything to help him? He had deceived them initially to save Zabuza's life, and later on fought them on the bridge, in a last ditch effort to complete the mission given by Gato. He could have killed them, and had caused such anguish for Naruto that he almost did die by his hands. The only possibility of him going to Konoha would be to serve as a shinobi of Konoha, and that was not a choice he was willing to contemplate. How could he? He still had not resolved his grief, and if he joined, would have to work alongside Hatake Kakashi, the man who committed the actual deed. Did they really think he could get over the pain that easily, with a constant daily reminder in the form of Kakashi?

As he continues to look down upon the grave that holds Zabuza's remains, he ponders his options. Does he still wish to continue Zabuza's unfinished task? It would be difficult to take on missions by himself, despite his experience and apprenticeship under the Demon of the Mist. It would take most, if not all, of his life to earn enough money to hire the people needed to complete Zabuza's dream of taking over Kirigakure.

However, despite his anger at the Yondaime Mizukage, he knows that, in the end, the chance of success for such an undertaking is slim. It had been nothing short of miraculous that they had survived for so long, after the coup attempt, with the constant harassment from Kiri Hunter-nin squads. No, he cannot hope to accomplish the deed, and in some small part of his mind, he also knows that he has no wish for it. Let others fight and tear each other to pieces over that position.

Still looking down, he silently offers a message of gratitude, and farewell, to the man who had been his world in the last eight years of his life. The man who had taught him all that he knows in the shinobi arts, and through the time they had together, also taught him about the way the world works. He bows deeply, one last time, to the grave marked by Zabuza's sword.

Getting up, he walks away, without looking back.

The rain has abated, and a sliver of sunshine is visible, just beyond the patch of dissipating raincloud. As the warm glow of the sun permeates through his wet clothes, Haku finds a new resolve to live on in this world. While he will always cherish memories of his time with Zabuza, he needs to go out on his own, and find his own path.

* * *

**Hidden Oto base # 4**

"Ku ku ku. Excellent, a most interesting development."

Orochimaru, Konoha nuke-nin, as well as self-proclaimed Otokage, is pleased. Pleased at the thought that his research has helped to open up, literally, a new realm. A new world that may contain the secrets to immortality, and perhaps the tools to help him finally crush the village that had driven him away years ago.

Through complete serendipity, he had come upon a mild twist in the fabric of this world. It was so tiny that it would have been almost invisible. But he, ever the sharp genius, did in fact notice it, and had tried to experiment with it. He commanded some of the best seal experts in Oto to help him design a seal, to let him separate out the fabric, and create a portal. A portal to where, he does not know, but he is willing to give the time and effort to developing it, if it allows him to gain even the most miniscule advantage and knowledge over his numerous enemies.

As he ponders upon the new portal inside the underground base, he can see nothing beyond it. And yet, he cannot help feeling the sensation of power emanating from this other world…power that he will make into his. With that thought, he decides that, instead of approaching it himself, he would first let a trusted underling do a reconnaissance mission on his behalf.

Turning around, he sees a chunnin nearby inside the subterranean stronghold, and gives him the command. "Bring me Tayuya." The chunnin quickly bows, and leaves the room to carry out his order.

_Hum, yes, she will do. Out of the four of them, she is the most intelligent, and will likely be able to adapt to whatever world that lies beyond. _

Another minute later, the appearance of the redhead interrupts his thoughts. "Yes, Orochimaru-sama?"

Turning around, he looks at the bowing form of the genjutsu specialist. He laughs in the back of his mind, knowing the foul language that she possesses, and the fact that she is most likely straining hard to not let an expletive appear in her interaction with him. However, right now is not the time for such frivolities.

"I have summoned you here for a solo mission." Tayuya's eyebrows rise up a small fraction upon hearing this, but she remains silent. It is rare for the Sound Four to go on individual missions; they have a proven record of success as a team. A team that runs like clockwork, despite the individual members' quirks and contrasting personality types, and on a battle field no one else has yet been able to stop them. It is for this reason that they are selected as amongst the very best that Oto has to offer, and chosen as Orochimaru's personal guards.

"This is very important, Tayuya," Orochimaru continues. "We have discovered another world that is yet likely unknown to the rest of the Elemental Countries. And I intend to find out everything about it. Your task is to infiltrate this world, and learn everything about it. If you find anyone with special capabilities, do not hesitate to capture them, and return them here. I want to know anything that can be used to strengthen Oto. Also, kill anyone who learns of your purpose on the other side; you are to keep your cover until I inform you otherwise. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."

"Good, then prepare for an extended mission. The gate will allow you to keep a line of communication with the base here, for any supplies that you cannot find on your own. I expect to see you back here at the end of today and ready to enter the portal."

* * *

**Hi no Kuni, on the other side of Naruto Ohashi**

Haku has finally departed from Nami, using the bridge which he helped to build. The path that he is currently on is surrounded by trees, and soon enough, the view of the bridge is swallowed up by the surrounding foliage.

He remains undecided as to where he should go next, even though that has been on his mind while he is walking away from Nami. Should he go north, into land not affiliated with any hidden village? Or should he continue into the west, as far away from Kirigakure as possible? And what, exactly, will he do in this next phase of his life? With Zabuza now gone, will he even remain a shinobi?

While contemplating his options, he notices someone walking in the opposite direction. The man is robed in white, holding a packet, and is moving along at a leisurely pace. Haku immediately notices there is something strange about the man, mainly, the unnaturally glowing eyes. Though the man does not seem to be a shinobi, Haku knows, instinctively, that the man is not to be underestimated.

When they pass each other, Haku offers a slight nod in greeting, and then continues walking onward, intending to be as unobtrusive as possible. The man may be powerful, but it is not something that Haku needs to concern himself with, as long as he is not one of the dreaded Hunter-nin from Kiri.

"Wait," the man calls back, which has the effect of immediately stopping Haku's progress. Had he been wrong? Is the person somehow aware of who he is? As far as he knows, Haku has never been in any of the bingo books, having never officially been a Kiri-nin in the first place. Could the person be from Kiri, one who had seen him that fateful night of the failed coup?

Thinking quickly, he quietly slides a senbon into his right hand, out of the man's line of sight. If this meeting should turn violent, he is prepared to hold the man off, and then quickly make his escape. Haku then turns his head slightly, so that he is looking over his left shoulder, at the man now facing him. "Yes?"

The man gives no indication that he has noticed anything is amiss, and continues on conversationally. "I can't help but notice, are you someone lost, without a purpose?"

His eyes now widened, albeit slightly, Haku now turns around to face the mysterious stranger fully, while taking care to hide the senbon away from the man's view. "How did you guess this?"

"It is no more than my power of observation." The man looks down at the packet held in his left hand. "I was thinking of just dropping this off somewhere, but I guess you will do." He steps closer to Haku, and then hands his packet to Haku.

Haku cautiously slides the senbon back into his sleeve, and then takes the large envelope. He opens it up, to reveal a stack of paper held together, with the words Youkai Gakuen in the front. After quickly perusing the contents, he raises his eyebrows in bemusement, and then looks back into the mysterious stranger's face. "You would like me to apply to this school?"

"Yes, I think you will fit in quite well, and I also think it can be beneficial for you." The man smiles a cryptic smile. "I can sense sadness in you, as well as a desire to seek a new direction in your life. By coming to this school, you will learn how to fit in to normal civilian society better."

"You know…that I am not a civilian?" Haku had taken off the Kiri hitai-te, and is wearing non-descript clothes that Tsunami had made for him. He had purposely removed all trace of his previous training from his gait, enough to fool even seasoned chuunin and jounin. How did the man know? It is rather depressing, to think that so soon after his master's death, Haku is already losing his edge as a shinobi.

"It is not obvious, and would have fooled most people. But then again, I am not most people." The man's smile is unnerving. What exactly he is, Haku does not know, but it would be something interesting to find out, now that he has Haku's attention.

Haku looks the man in the eye for another minute, carefully assessing the man's intentions. He then looks through the packet once more, examining the contents.

"I have never been formally educated in any institution, so I do not have previous academic records to supply. Up to this point in my life, I had only been taught in a specialized apprenticeship by one sensei. And since my sensei died recently, I no longer have anyone who can vouch for me." Haku looks back into the man's face. "I do not object to attending this school, but I have no proof that I already have the prerequisite education necessary."

"That is indeed quite a challenge," the man agrees. "But, if you do come, I can arrange for you to take an assessment exam, to see whether you do possess the foundation of knowledge someone of your age group is expected to have. And I can ask the teachers to provide you any remedial coursework, to help you catch up, if you happen to be lacking in any subject."

"This is very generous. But it is far more than I would expect, for a stranger you have just met. Am I right to assume," Haku narrows his eyes, in suspicion, "that this school is not a normal civilian school? Why do you want me there, specifically?"

The robed figure smiles, almost as if he is pleased with Haku being astute. "I was hoping to surprise you with this, but I suppose there is no point in doing that now." As quickly as he ended that statement, his demeanor takes on a more serious tone. "This world that you live in still has many beings other than humans, which humans call monsters. Therefore, it may be easier for you to accept what I am about to tell you next."

Taking a pause, he looks Haku over, for anything that can give away what Haku is thinking inside of his head. Haku, however, remains calm, and is ready to listen to whatever the man may say next.

"Youkai Gakuen is a school constructed and built in another place, separated by a barrier from normal human society, which prevents the human world from learning about the youkai and the school. The society itself is actually quite advanced, in many ways, than this one. This world that you know is actually several centuries behind the one that I came from."

Haku blinks his eyes, not sure what to make of that claim. It is hard to believe. But the man still has more to say.

"And in this place, separated from the human world, the children of monsters attend an academy that allows them to learn how to fit in better in human society, since there are now more humans in the world than ever before, and monsters do not reproduce as rapidly. For the continued survival of the monsters, they need to learn how to coexist in the world of humans."

The man does not seem to be lying, and seems very convinced that what he says is the truth. These things are completely outside the realm of his knowledge. But, if there are Biju and giant animal summons in this world, then why should there not be monsters as well?

"At the same time," the man continues, "I have reasoned that if monsters need to learn to live amongst humans, perhaps it would do to have a human also in a school of monsters, so that the human can also learn to coexist with the monsters. To that end, I occasionally allow one or two humans to attend the school. However, the policy of the school is that any humans found there would be expelled. Thus, if you were to attend, you must never reveal the fact that you are a human."

"And what," Haku asks, having found a convenient pause in the one-sided conversation, "is your role in this school, if I may ask?"

"Why," the man smirks, "I am the headmaster."

"I see." Haku pauses, and then begins, in a quieter voice. "I can see why you think this is an offer that could possibly benefit the both of us."

"Indeed." The headmaster of the school strokes his chin, thoughtfully. "Usually I wonder if the humans would be able to survive a semester, let alone an entire academic year unscathed, given the violent nature of some of the monsters. Humans are, sometimes rightfully, to fear monsters, as there indeed are ones that would not hesitate killing them, and see humans as nothing more than prey or food. You, however, have some training in fighting, am I correct to assume this? You are a shinobi, are you not?"

"I have been trained in the shinobi arts, yes," Haku answers, truthfully, "though I would prefer not have to fight, or to kill."

"And that is a sentiment I share, though sometimes we are denied that luxury," the headmaster nods his head, in approval. "You have the proper attitude, as well as the aptitude. I think everything is settled, for now, then. Come with me, and as long as you wish to continue studying at Youkai Academy, I will be your personal guarantor. You will not need to worry about paying for your schooling. In fact," the man tilts his head, as sudden inspiration struck him, "you can be my eyes and ears in the student population. I can give you a stipend for doing this work."

"You are asking me to be a spy amongst the students?" Haku has no objection to this. He has done infiltration work before, and is confident in his abilities. He is reasonably sure he can pass himself off as another student, even though he has never attended a school before in his entire life.

"I want you to pay attention to a specific student, though you are not to let her know she is receiving undue amount of attention from me."

"Understood." Haku nods his head.

"Good. The specific details that you will need to know will be revealed to you at another time. For now, let us get back to the school. We will need to prepare you for the beginning of the new semester."

* * *

...and that's the first chapter. Tayuya will be playing her part in the story, but I don't think I will be introducing any other Naruto characters into the Rosario + Vampire universe.

As always, please review, and offer any constructive criticism.


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N**. **Not much to say. Thank you to all those who have already reviewed the story, and please offer any constructive criticisms.**

**I do not own Naruto or Rosario + Vampire. They are the works of Kishimoto Masashi and Ikeda Akihisa, respectively.**

* * *

In the hidden Oto base, five people are standing near the only source of light inside the cavernous chamber. The source is none other than the newly erected portal, and every now and then, every occupant of the room cannot help but stare at it, and wonder at the mysteries hidden on the other side. Everyone, that is, besides Tayuya, who would much prefer not to be involved in this venture in any way.

The said girl is full of apprehension as she prepares to enter through the portal, with the rest of the Sound Four and Orochimaru watching from the side. She checks her equipment pouch once more, and absently plays with the strap of the rucksack, trying to keep herself at ease. Nothing like this has ever been done before, according to historical records. Wouldn't it be much better to just leave whatever belongs to another world to stay in that other world, and for themselves to be concerned with only those things that are found in the Elemental Countries? However, orders are orders, despite her misgivings. And she is not insane enough to deny Orochimaru. If she doesn't go through with it, Orochimaru will most certainly kill her. If she goes through with it, at least she has a chance at survival.

On that thought, just what could be waiting for her on the other side? The middle of a warzone? A peaceful and quiet village in the middle of snow-capped mountains? An empty land with verdant hills and gentle, undulating streams? The deepest level of Hell? Unimaginable monsters ready to rip her into shreds? A world populated only by sheep? Her doki's plane of existence? Or perhaps the path to Heaven, where she can find redemption, even though she is undeserving?

_Well, whatever. Anything is better than being under Orochimaru's thumb all the time, and those losers can do just fine without me._

With a quiet affirmative nod of determination to herself, she finally musters up the courage, and steps closer to the gate. The eerie incandescent red light from the gateway bathes her, and soon, the rest of her body becomes as red as her hair. Her pace gradually picks up until, with one final running leap, she jumps through the portal, and into a destination unknown.

* * *

The two figures walk side by side, as they head towards a mansion at the end of the path. So far, Haku has not said much, and had kept his own peace, while the headmaster explains various rules and regulations of Youkai Gakuen. He has been observing this new world, and it looks rather depressing. But apparently, according to the headmaster, his vision of beauty is in sharp contrast with that of the youkai, and it is just something he is going to have to accept.

Eventually, the two of them arrive at the entrance to the hall, where two impeccably dressed men wearing sunglasses opens the door to the building, and then stands guard on either side of the doorway. Haku involuntarily flinches, seeing the similarity between their attire and that of Gato, but he quickly suppresses the reaction.

The headmaster either did not see his discomfort, or chose to ignore it completely. He merely nods his head in greeting to the two men, before entering the door, with Haku right behind him. They proceed to walk up a flight of stairs, and into a room that Haku surmises to be the headmaster's office. More guards stand at attention inside the room, as well as in the immediate vicinity. It would have seemed strange for the presence of so many guards, if Haku did not already know the makeup of the student population, and the threat that they can pose.

After walking around the desk to sit in the large leather chair, the headmaster picks up a folder from his desk. He gives a cursory glance through the folder, before closing it, and handing it over to Haku. Haku walks up to the desk, and opens it up to reveal the profile of a beautiful girl.

"This is the person who I want you to monitor. By monitoring, I mean to keep her out of harm, as she is the daughter of a very dear friend of mine. There is a power sealed inside of her, which can make her, easily, the most powerful being inside this school."

Haku looks up after hearing that comment. The headmaster is completely serious about this, which means, the girl is potentially more powerful even than he. If so, why would she need protecting? What is the catch?

Seeing the unvoiced question in Haku's face, the headmaster elaborates. "However, this power is suppressed by the seal, which she cannot easily take off. Therefore, in her sealed state, she will be defenseless against any youkai who means her harm.

Haku nods in comprehension, before turning his eyes downward to look through her profile once again. So this is indeed bodyguard duty on top of surveillance. If that is the case, he would need to get close to her. How should he go about protecting her, without letting her becoming suspicious about there being an ulterior motive? This is an interesting conundrum.

"In any case, here are the materials you will need for the school." The headmaster signals to one of the guards, who steps forward, and wordlessly hands over a bag to Haku. "Inside you will find your school uniform, the usual stationary, as well as a key that will allow you access to the library inside this mansion. I believe you will find the reading material to be of interest to you." He smiles a cryptic smile, before handing over a slip of paper. "You should find a sheet that details your living arrangements. After you get yourself settled, go to the room listed on this piece of paper. The instructors have already been told to expect you, and to prepare the assessment exams. You have the entire day to complete them."

Haku involuntarily widens his eyes. He certainly hopes he does not need to do too much remedial work, should he perform poorly on the exams. This assignment may be more difficult than he originally thought.

* * *

The first thing that Tayuya notices is that the trees are all withered. There is not even a leaf amongst the trees. That, and the fact the ground looks wasted, and the nearby body of water is red. All together, it is not a very welcoming sight. It makes certain parts of Iwa look like Paradise, in comparison.

However, she is not here to admire scenery. Her task can be potentially problematic, with this world being completely unknown, she does not know if there are any potential threat to her. Turning around, she observes the portal through which she came through. It is her only means of communication with Oto, and should it be lost, she would be trapped, without a way to escape.

Thus, the first order of business is to prevent anyone else from discovering the portal.

There are jagged mounds of rock formations behind the portal, and also on either side of the portal, thankfully. The genjutsu that she casts will only have to cover the area in between, where the portal stands. All she has to do is make sure it blends with the rest of the rocks, and make it look flawless. She places a triple layer of genjutsu on the portal, while at the same time, draws several seals in between each layer. She may not be a seals expert, but Orochimaru has taught her enough to make some basic security seals. These will warn her if someone is trying to get to the gate, or to break the genjutsu. They will be her failsafe alarm, and if they go off, she will come rampaging back to the portal, consequences be damned. She is not going to allow herself be trapped here, wherever this place is. Her mission will just have to terminate prematurely, if that is the case.

Standing some distance away, she critically runs her eyes over her handiwork. It looks pretty good, if she may say so herself. It does look like an inhospitable, continuous rock formation, with no place for birds to even build a nest. No one will know, unless they have wondered around into this area before, and notices the rock formation has changed. But that is what the security seals are for, if they decide to walk closer towards where the gate is supposed to be.

_Actually, that brings up a good point. _Tayuya mentally slaps her forehead in annoyance. _Why did I forget about that?_

Placing her bag on the ground, she rummages through it, and pulls out several wires and kunai. These are half of the supplies she brought, but she is willing to sacrifice as much of it as she can to protect the all important link with her world. She quickly gets to work, and fashions them into several traps and tripwires. They are all coated with a special nondescript dark charcoal color in order to prevent reflection of sunlight from the metal. And it just so happens to be the color of the background rock formation.

Getting back up, she nods to herself in satisfaction. All this will go some way to punish anyone reckless enough to wonder too close, if they are not already deterred by the genjutsu.

After packing her bag, she silently jumps into the tree branches on top. She noiselessly makes her way through the withered forest, jumping from one tree to the next with easy, unhurried strides.

It is time to do some exploring.

* * *

It seems like an eternity, but finally, Haku walks out of the building, with several books now weighing down his bag.

He actually performed well on most sections of the exams, considering that he had never attended any academic institution in his life. Zabuza had taught him quite well, and not just in the practical aspects of being a shinobi. For certain things such as mathematics, he was able to derive the answers, even if he did not necessarily know the correct formulas to use. Kagome Ririko, the mathematics teacher, made him feel very uneasy, and he did not want to think what would happen if he had been found wanting in this particular area. His weakest subjects, unsurprisingly, includes history, since he is someone from the past, and lacks knowledge of events closer to the current timeline. The other one is a language called 'English,' which he does not speak one word of whatsoever.

The instructors for those classes have given him all the supplementary reading material to bring him up to date. The English teacher, an odd man named Excellent Maki, has, in addition, given Haku his own recorded audio cassette tapes, along with his own tape recorder. The teacher is confident that he will learn from them well. He laments the fact that, if not for the necessary separation of Youkai Gakuen from the human world, he would be making quite a bit of money from the sale of these tapes, such is their quality. While Haku cannot yet attest to this, he lends the man his words of support nevertheless. It is a good idea to get off on a good start with the instructors, especially if he is going to need the man's help with learning the language. Haku has his work cut out for him.

As soon as he finally manages to extricate himself from the attention of the verbose instructor, he looks at the clock, and notices it is already getting late. However, remembering what the headmaster told him earlier, he decides to go back to the mansion once again, in order to look at the library.

When he went back to the headmaster's mansion, the guards allow him only a brief hour to look through the library. Upon looking inside the room, he knows that the time limit is only enough for him to take a cursory view of the material on the shelves.

Some of the titles seem quite interesting, though Haku must confess they are beyond his scope of understanding. Others are written in languages unknown to him, but he does not find that so strange anymore. The world is much larger than he could have imagined previously.

Suddenly, his eyes dart back towards one stack he just skimmed over. Surely, his eyes are playing tricks on him? Bending down to take a closer look, he confirms that, no, indeed they have not.

Discreetly packed into a corner is a stack of scrolls. When he opens one up, he immediately recognizes the ninjutsu recorded upon the parchment. However, it is a B-ranked doton jutsu, and he does not possess any elemental affinity for earth.

This must be the hidden surprise that the headmaster had in mind for him. It seems that the headmaster is a collector, and has managed to obtain these scrolls during his trips to the Elemental Countries. How or why, Haku does not know, but the headmaster has given him permission to borrow any material of interest, and he intends to make use of that privilege.

Quickly looking at the only clock in the room, he sees that he still has another half an hour. Turning his attention back to the scrolls, he quickly searches out several wind- and water-based jutsu, along with a few scrolls containing theories on chakra. Looking through them, he separates out the ones he already know from the ones that he do not. Mostly, the ones Haku intends to learn are the fuuton ninjutsu, since Zabuza had already taught him much of his own extensive repertoire of suiton ninjutsu. Despite knowing his bloodline, and the elemental affinities he possessed, there was a dearth of information for wind-based ninjutsu in Kiri.

Thanking the guard, he quietly leaves the mansion, in the direction of where his dormitory is supposed to be. It is only his first day here, and he is feeling the effects of a day of traveling and mental exertion, but there still seems so much work to do. Haku does not know if other students feel the same way, but there simply are not enough hours in a day for him to do everything. The day of orientation is tomorrow, thankfully, so at least he will have enough time to recover, and begin some much needed review. That, and to plan for his first meeting with the girl he is supposed to protect.

* * *

So far, Tayuya has not seen any obvious signs of danger. Despite the odd landscape, she has yet to run into any living being. Though the fact that there seems to be a lack of fauna is in itself a troubling thought. Is this merely an empty world? If so, then she can conclude this mission much more quickly than she thought, but for sure Orochimaru would not be pleased. He does not like to invest so much time and energy for no gain. And if he is not pleased, she is likely to suffer some of the repercussions.

However, her luck is finally turning for the better. Tayuya comes to a stop on one of the tree branches, and surreptitiously observes the person of interest ahead of her.

The girl has red hair, of the same hue that Tayuya possesses, and also has roughly the same body measures also, as far as Tayuya can tell. She is wearing some kind of uniform, complete with an impractical skirt that is more likely to reveal her underwear than to provide any protection of her modesty. The girl is also carrying a briefcase, and dragging along a luggage case with her other hand. She is slowly walking along on a perpendicular path to Tayuya's original route, and has not noticed that she has gained an unwanted observer. The way she carries herself, it is obvious she is a mere civilian. Tayuya casts a dubious look at her, not believing the girl to possess anything of interest to her master. But, at least it is a start.

With that in mind, Tayuya quietly creeps up on the tree behind her, once the girl walks underneath the tree, with no indication that she has noticed anything amiss. Tayuya begins to weave a genjutsu, and directs it against her unsuspecting target. This is all too easy.

Mere seconds later, the girl stiffens, and then begins to look around frantically, at imaginary phantoms. Finally she releases her grip on her two belongings, and begins to transform in front of Tayuya's astonished eyes. Whatever preconceptions that Tayuya had formed about the girl are quickly destroyed, as the girl's body begins to grow larger, and eventually tear apart the uniform.

Where a normal, if unremarkable, girl once stood, in its place is a giant crab, with the face of a grim-looking human etched on the back of the carapace. The pincers alone are longer than Tayuya's height, and Tayuya dare not even think of physically taking on the monster, unless she is already in her second Cursed Seal state.

With a screech of rage, the crab turns around, and strikes out with her pincers at enemies only she can see. Tayuya, having finally recovered from the initial shock, begins to observe the confused enemy beneath her, while formulating plans to subdue it. After several minutes, in which the crab had managed to depopulate a section of the withered forest, Tayuya quickly comes to a conclusion. It looks like the crab's shape is the actual form of the girl, and she can keep up the form for as long as she wants. Unlike her own transformation with the Cursed Seal, Tayuya will have to eventually drop it, once her chakra starts to run low. Also, the genjutsu is still holding, but at this rate, Tayuya will suffer chakra exhaustion quicker than the crab tiring herself out. With that in mind, she will need to quickly end this.

Biting her finger, she quickly runs through the required hand seals, before smacking her right hand into the tree limb. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu."

With a sudden burst of smoke, three summoned towering figures stand behind her, ready at her beck and call. The crab has also noticed the additional enemies, and disregarding her imaginary ones, begins to rush in sideways, as fast as her legs can carry her, towards the tree holding Tayuya and her doki.

The subsequent fight ended much quicker than anticipated, and rather anticlimactically. Once her doki surrounded the crab, Tayuya begins the first part of her melody, but in just 15 notes, the crab is lying on the ground, unconscious, courtesy of the large club carried by the doki with the impossibly long hair.

Leaping down to the ground from her perch, she takes a closer look at the crab, and gives it a kick to the head, to make sure she is completely knocked out. Or, at least, where Tayuya thinks the head should be. Turning around, she kneels down, and begins to look through the girl's briefcase. Eventually, she finds an identification card, and holds it closer to her eyes for inspection.

_Taira Chiyome. Hum, she looks a little like me. But what the hell is this birth year supposed to mean? It doesn't match with the calendar at all. _

Shrugging to herself, and resolving to find out more about this later, she turns to look through the rest of Chiyome's belonging. Tayuya recovers an acceptance packet, detailing the student's academic schedule, information for her dormitory, as well as a small map of the layout of the buildings of this Youkai Gakuen. There are spare sets of uniform in her luggage, thankfully, as Tayuya plans to take the unconscious Chiyome's place in this school.

Nodding in appreciation for the student's thoroughness, Tayuya turns back to look at her unwitting victim. It is too bad that she had to be the one, but there is nothing personal. She carefully looks at the face in the identification card, and attempts to recall any other details she can remember about the girl's physical appearance before her transformation. She then performs a henge, and then looks herself in the small mirror that the girl carried in her briefcase, while comparing it, side by side, with the picture in the ID. After another few minutes of tinkering, and adjusting her facial features to match the picture perfectly, Tayuya gets up, and takes out one of the spare sets of uniform. There is no time to critique how she looks, but at least no one will suspect her of being an outsider, now that she has changed into Chiyome's clothes.

Taking a look in the sky, Tayuya notes the sun is setting ever lower. After stuffing the miscellaneous objects and paperwork back into the luggage and the suitcase, Tayuya takes up her flute once again, and commands her doki to pick up the downed crab and her baggage. They then rapidly make their way back towards the portal, with Tayuya intending to drop off her first offering to Orochimaru as soon as possible.

There will be more victims to come.

* * *

**A.N. **The crab is a reference to the "Samurai Crabs," also known as the Heikegani (_Heikea japonica_), whose shell bears a pattern that resembles a human face. Some locals believe the crabs are reincarnated members of the fallen samurai of the House of Taira who drowned in the sea after the Battle of Dan-no-ura from the Heike Monogatari, an epic account of the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans for control of Japan in the 12th century. The actual crabs are, of course, nowhere close to the size alluded to in the chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N. **Apologies for the months of inactivity, but things have been pretty hectic over here, what with finally getting a job and finding a new place to live. Also, ideas have been running dry recently, and I simply can't figure out how to write the next installment of _Blood Warrior,_ even though that's the one I wanted to update first. CylonOne, unfortunately, is not able to beta my chapters any longer, so the chances of grammatical and word errors are higher now than before.

I do not own Naruto or Rosario + Vampire. They are the works of Kishimoto Masashi and Ikeda Akihisa, respectively.

* * *

Today is the first day of the orientation, and officially begins his mission. He had made sure to thoroughly go through the profile from the Headmaster on the girl last night before going to sleep, and commit all the details to memory.

Akashiya Moka, the 15 year old vampire, has been under a seal for the last few years, one that was designed to keep her inner vampiric powers at bay, and is tamper-proof. She had gone into the human world after her sealing, leaving her family behind, and attempted to fit into normal society. Whether or not that experience had been positive is not known, but the fact remains that she has decided to switch to a school for youkai. And today will be her first day here.

Haku woke up fairly early this morning, as usual, without the aid of an alarm clock. Old habits of living on the run die hard, after all, where any unpreparedness or sloppiness on his or Zabuza's part would mean capture and death by the Hunter-nin. He ate a light breakfast, and quietly left the dorm to reconnoiter the grounds of the school and its surrounding area. He would be a horrible shinobi otherwise if he neglected such basics.

The immediate campus area has become more crowded as the day begins, with more incoming freshmen arriving for their orientation. He had searched through the crowd of chattering students, but had been unsuccessful in locating his target. It should not be hard, what with her brightly colored pink hair. Even in human form, none of the other monsters have adopted such a vibrant hue. But he sees no signs of her, meaning he would need to search further away, as she is yet to arrive.

Turning around, he walks away from the crowd of students, and quickly finds a dirt path that leads out into the forest. He begins to quietly tread along, knowing that it will eventually lead to the bus stop where he first arrived at Youkai Gakuen. After looking around, and making sure no one else is in the vicinity, he quickly takes to the trees above. The advantage to this is immediately obvious, as he can now look further away, without having to move about blindly in the hope of running into Akashiya-san.

He continued moving some way further, until his ears pick up the sound of something moving rapidly. Turning his head towards the direction of the sound, he catches a glimpse of a girl that matches the profile picture of the vampire, on a bicycle that she seems to be struggling to control. The girl is heading in his direction, saving him from the need to look for her any further.

He quietly lands on the ground beneath the tree he had been perched on, and waits for the girl to arrive. Last night, he had thought about what to say to the girl on their first meeting. His world is vastly different from Youkai Gakuen, and also from the human world connected to the youkai realm. It is also quite likely that their life experience so far will be quite dissimilar, with their different upbringing. How exactly should he approach her, and find common ground to start off the introductions?

But alas, all he can do now is come up with something spontaneous, as the sounds of the bicycle bell draws near. He hears the shouted warning of the girl, and turns around to look. The bicycle, however, is moving faster than he anticipated, and is already almost upon him when he turned around fully to face her.

Without meaning to do so, and completely out of reflex, he forms a Mizu Bunshin and substitutes himself with it. The bicycle plows through the clone, and scatters the water. The girl herself cries out in pain as she comes in contact with the clone, and completely loses control of her bicycle. She falls off, and the bicycle, now without a rider, crashes to the side of the road.

Haku is baffled. That cry he just heard was one of pain, and not surprise. Is water harmful to a vampire?

Shaking the thought away, he quickly makes his way over to the girl in order to attend to her. His suspicion is proved to be correct, as he sees what can only be described as visible energy dissipating from her drenched body, while her eyes are shut tightly in pain. He quickly makes a note to himself not to let her get near water, until she explains to him how it can be harmful to her.

"I am very sorry about that. Are you alright?" Haku leans down towards her, and offers her his right hand.

The girl wearily opens her eyes, and looks up towards him. As her remarkable rippling green eyes look into his own brown eyes, Haku can feel his heart skip a beat, and find himself mentally reeling. There is something in her that he cannot but help be drawn to, like a man coming upon an oasis in the desert. This girl has an inner purity and gentleness in her that seems to wash away all the weariness and pain he feels inside his heart, and to give him reason and renewed courage to face his troubles. It had been only a few seconds, and yet it feels much longer, and if he could, he would prolong this moment. Even if she wasn't his mission, he knows he would still find himself drawn to her, should he come across her in the school as a complete stranger.

"Um, excuse me," the girl blushes, as Haku continues to stare into her eyes.

The boy shakes his head, having finally been awakened from his reverie by her voice. He also pulls her up from the ground with his proffered hand.

"Forgive me. You have such beautiful eyes, that I could not help stare into them. I am sorry for causing your fall. The bicycle came onto me very fast, and I should have simply leapt out of the way, rather than causing you to become drenched."

The girl's blush becomes rosier in response, though her overall complexion still looks pale. "Oh no, it is alright. I have not had breakfast this morning, and am feeling a bit anemic." As if in response to her words, her body suddenly becomes wobbly, and Haku quickly reaches out with his arms to prevent her from falling to the ground once again. The girl falls into his him, and his arms wrap around her instinctively.

The headmaster has not told him much about vampires, beyond the fact that they nourish on other's blood as their main sustenance. Would his blood be sufficient? It is, after all, partly his mistake for leaving a Mizu Bunshin for her to run through, so he should try to make it up to her.

While contemplating this, the girls head leans into his shoulder, and Haku can feel the tingle from her breathes on the base of his neck, as well as the wetness from her drenched clothes. Her breathes are coming in short and shallow gasps, and even if he doesn't quite understand her physiology, he knows that she is not supposed to be breathing like this.

"I…I feel so weak…I'm so sorry, but…." The girl's whisper makes its way into his ear.

This is the first time that Haku has been this close to a girl, and he feels a blush forming on his own face in response to her proximity. If only this were some other situation, and she wasn't his responsibility, then he just may indulge in the fantasy that popped into his mind. Fortunately, he has retained enough mental faculties to process what she just said to him, and is able to snap himself out of his daze.

"If you need my blood, then please go ahead," Haku smiles, and looks down into the mop of pink hair adorning the face of this beautiful girl in his arms.

Said girl looks up, and even in her weakened state, he can see the surprise in her face. "How…how did you…."

"You are a vampire, right?" Haku asks in his gentlest voice, not wanting to cause her undue alarm. "You said you were feeling anemic."

"Yes," the girl confesses. "And thank you."

She closes her eyes, with a faint grateful smile. Suddenly, her arms hold his body tight, the strength behind her hold belying her waifish body. Haku can feel his neck punctured, as she begins to drink his lifeblood. He grimaces, but forces himself to go through the pain. As long as she does not drink too much, he will still be able to function for the rest of the day. Although, if he had known this could happen, he would have made sure to pack a supply of blood pills before leaving the confines of the Elemental Countries.

He does not know how long it took, but finally she steps away from him, with a satisfied smile and a blush on her face. Her face has obtained a glow that was not there previously, and her beauty seems to have increased with her recent feeding, like a flower flourishing in the sun.

"Thank you very much for the blood!" The girl gushes, with her energy now recovered. "It tasted really good!" And then, just as suddenly, her eyes are downcast, with a full bloom of rosiness returning to her cheeks. She smiles shyly, with her hands cupping her cheeks. "This was my first time drinking blood from someone, and now that I have tasted yours, I don't know if I can ever stop myself from doing it again."

Her face is so radiant, that it almost made him forget that he was essentially the victim of an assault. Almost.

"You are welcome," he smiles in return, and his mirth reaches into his eyes, as he stares at her blushing form. If she does not drink too much, he would not mind letting her have a sip now and then, just to see her like this. Besides, should it not be part of his mission, to ensure her wellbeing?

Haku absently brushes his hand over the puncture wounds, and is surprised to find no sign of any marks there. He can still feel a dull pain from where she latched onto him, but no physical evidence of it.

"A vampire's blood can heal, so after I bit you, some of my blood is transferred over to heal the puncture marks." The girl helpfully explains to him, while holding up a finger in lecture mode. There is an endearing innocence about her that makes it really difficult for Haku to label her as a threat, though his aching neck says otherwise.

"By the way," she asks curiously, "just how did you know that I am a vampire?"

_Perhaps I should not have volunteered that knowledge. She is not supposed to know about the parameters of the mission._

"Ah, I just read it somewhere that vampires might behave like that when they are in need of blood," Haku lies as smoothly as he can. "Although you don't look like one, and can pass for a normal human girl. A beautiful one, at that."

The girl smiles shyly, while blushing up a storm. She quickly shakes her head side to side, trying to get herself under control. "Ah, but you see," she indicates with her hands towards the cross on top of her chest. A very fulsome chest, at that. "This rosario here is a seal. It has never come off since it was first placed on me, and if it does, then I will become a veeery scary looking vampire."

"I see," Haku smiles easily. He already knows all this, but it is good to play along, and let her be the one to think that she told him that fact. "My name is Momochi Haku, by the way. Pleased to meet you."

"Oh, I'm sorry! I got so caught up with your blood I completely forgot to introduce myself." The girl frantically shakes head while chastising herself. "My name is Akashiya Moka, and as you can see, I am a vampire." Pausing, she continues on, in a hesitant tone. "Do you like vampires?"

"Hum," Haku taps his chin, in mock consideration. Really, the girl is very cute, with those impossibly large eyes holding a hopeful look, as she waits for his answer. He decided not to drag it out any longer.

"I honestly have never met one in my life before until now, and I really do not have an opinion about them," Haku confesses. "But, I think you are a good person that I would not mind getting to know more. You are who you are. The one I am interested in knowing is Akashiya Moka-san, and whether you are a vampire or not does not really matter that much to me."

The girl's face brightens, and a small amount of moisture can be detected from the edges of her eyes, which she brushes off with a delicate finger. "You are the first person to have said such kind things to me. You have no idea how much that means to me." Wiping the tears away, she looks back at him, with an angelic smile. "Would you like to be my friend?"

"Of course," Haku smiles reassuringly. "I would like that."

"Thank you, Haku-san!" Moka closes the distance between them once again, and throws her arms around him in a tight hug. Once again, Haku finds himself trapped in her abnormally strong grip, and can do nothing but hug her back in return. It feels nice, to be embraced like this from a veritable goddess in the flesh.

"You are my first friend, Haku-san," she whispers. Haku finds it hard to believe a girl like her would have such difficulties, but keeps his peace. In time he will find out more about her, if she is willing to talk more about it.

"I am glad to hear it," he replies, after a moment. "And I will try to be the best friend I can possibly be for you."

Her body stiffens in shock, but then quickly relaxes. No doubt she is not used to hearing such things, but for Haku this is relatively new territory also. It's not as if he had ever held onto Zabuza in such a manner, proclaiming undying friendship.

When they pull apart, there is an awkwardness that Haku had never felt before. All of a sudden, his previous experience no longer seems sufficient. How exactly should he behave in this situation?

"So, is water something vampires should not come in contact with?" He asks before his brain catches up with his words. He mentally smacks his head in frustration. What kind of person asks about someone else's weakness within the first few minutes of their introduction? Granted, it is something he should be made aware of, as her protector, but that could have been asked when the two of them are more comfortable around each other.

Moka looks startled, and momentarily looks unsure of herself. Haku does not blame her.

"You don't have to tell me if you do not want to, but I couldn't help hearing your cry of pain when the water touched you." Haku reassures her. "I merely want to know, so that I can help prevent a similar situation from happening in the future, if it is within my power to do so."

"I see," the girl answers with relief. "Vampires are known for having very potent yoki in their bodies, and water is a very pure thing that can negate and interfere with it. The only way for me to touch the water would be if it is scented herbal water, and not pure water."

"Ah," Haku nods in understanding, while filing that particular detail away. "Then you must be uncomfortable being drenched. Please allow me to offer my apologies by drying your clothes."

A blush forms on Moka's face, and she crosses her arms protectively in front of her, while backing away a few steps from Haku.

Quickly realizing his newest faux pas, Haku holds his arms up in a placating manner. "I mean to say, I can dry your clothes without touching you, and there is no need for you to take them off." Really, what is it with him today? How can this girl have such an effect on him, causing him to make these uncharacteristic errors? At this rate, he may well fail his mission, losing his focus at a crucial moment.

"Oh…." The girl lowers her arms slowly, though she still seems skeptical. She remains rooted to where she stands.

Haku slowly walks towards her, with his hands held out in a non-threatening manner. He needs to be a bit more careful; if he loses her trust now, it would be much more difficult gaining it back.

He stops just a few steps away from her, but within his arms' reach. Slowly, he gathers a layer of chakra in his palms, and gently hover his hands a few centimeters above her shoulders. Moka flinches, expecting contact, but then quickly relaxes into the feeling of having warm chakra washing over her.

Indeed, when Haku looks, for one brief moment, into her face, she seems very contented. Mildly cheered by this small victory, he quietly refocuses his attention on drying her clothes, making sure to keep his hands from actually touching her. This is still somewhat intrusive, and he is pretty sure people do not become so intimate with another person after just meeting for the first time. It would be best if he completes his self-assigned task quickly. That and the fact that this technique can rapidly drain his chakra reserve if used for too long. He can't be a good bodyguard if he is out of commission.

When he finally pulls away, Haku notices the small frown on the edge of her lips, as if disappointed with the sudden lack of warmth. Her face, if it was even possible, had gotten redder during the last few minutes.

"Um, thank you, Haku," she murmurs her gratitude, while bowing her head, and looking at him through the thin curtain provided by her pink hair. Vaguely Haku registers the lack of an honorific from Moka, and it seems he has already eased his way into her trust.

"You are welcome, Moka-san." Haku replies softly in return, looking into her shy eyes. No doubt she found this situation a bit embarrassing, and he would have to agree with her. Fortunately, a ready escape from this is at hand.

"Ah, you are also a new student, right, Moka-san?" He asks, despite already knowing the answer. "We should probably start heading towards the school. Let's not be late for our first day."

"Oh, you are right, Haku." Moka nods in agreement, while turning around to pick up her bicycle. When she looks back at him once again, there is a hopeful gleam in her eyes. "Um, since I don't even know where everything is yet, and will probably get lost," she confesses, "can we walk together?"

Haku agrees, and she gratefully smiles back. It looks like this first day may start well for both of them.

As they start walking towards the school, his ears pick up a sound, and Haku turns just enough to let his peripheral vision pick up the reason for the noise. It is a boy, most likely another freshman like themselves, who looks a little lost. Haku debates whether to invite the boy over to join them, but then decides against it. Moka-san is his main responsibility, and he should help her have as uneventful a first day at school as possible.

The two of them walked together towards the school in companionable conversation, leaving the other freshman to find his own way there.

-O-

Tayuya stares into the mirror one last time, and sees an unfamiliar face imitating her tugging the shirt. She suspects there probably are better uniforms out there, but cannot deny that she likes it. Never before had she owned anything that looks nearly as nice as this while in Oto, and wouldn't mind bringing a set back with her once the mission is over. Even if the skirt is impractically short, she just needs to wear a pair of shorts on the inside, to better protect her modesty. Honestly, who came up with this dress code anyway?

Shaking her head, she picks up her bag, and walks out of the room assigned to Taira Chiyome. No, scratch that. _Her _room. She should start thinking of herself as Chiyome, or else her deception might be noticed quickly.

Orochimaru had been, for a lack of better word, delighted. He was very pleased that she found such an interesting creature so quickly, on her very first day of reconnoitering the new world. While he listened to her debriefing, a disturbing smile found its way onto his face. He gave his approval for her quick thinking, and told her to follow through with the infiltration of the school.

So here she is, wearing a new uniform, and trying to walk around as if this is something she had done all of her life. It would get some used to, along with her new physical appearance, but hopefully it won't take more than a few more days. Having glanced at the map earlier this morning, she quickly finds her way to the school building, navigating with the confidence of someone who has been here previously, even if that is completely untrue.

Hopefully this first day will be interesting.

-O-

The two of them arrived within seconds of the ringing of the first bell, and quickly found seats to sit next to each other. Moka had not been lying when she said she might get lost, but fortunately he knows the way. Though she does not know this yet, his class schedule perfectly matches her own, an easy feat since the Headmaster has access to her schedule. They are even in the cooking class together, a class usually meant for the girls. He is going to need to do some explaining for that one, but he will deal with it when it comes.

The stares and whispers started the moment they walked together into the room. It is quite easy to see why Moka attracts so much attention, but it is a little bit disconcerting to find nearly the same amount of attention directed his way. Haku had cut his hair a bit shorter after arrival, and no longer disguises himself as a girl, since the need for something like that here is quite low. The hair is still a bit long, but at least he should not be mistaken for a girl now. Or so he hopes.

The other students finally quieted down when the teacher brought everyone's attention back to her. Nekonome-sensei begins to explain the rule and regulations, which Haku already knows. She was rudely interrupted by a brutish-looking freshman sitting nearby who arrogantly introduces himself as Komiya Saizou. The boy voices aloud his belief that humans should just be made into food, rather than for them, the monsters, to blend with in society. Haku quickly notices a boy nervously twitching in response. The boy is the same one Haku saw earlier on the path, and it is interesting to find him here in the same class. And if he is fearful…then the only reason would be that he, like Haku, is a human.

Haku shakes his head. This really does not concern him, but that boy is clearly a civilian, and looks like he would break pretty quickly once things get out of control. Haku can only hope, for the boy's sake, that he realizes his mistake, and leave the school before his life is endangered. Clearly, people such as Saizou would have no problem tearing him apart.

On the topic of Saizou, Haku narrows his eyes, as he watches the freshman looking at Moka hungrily. He should keep an eye out for this one, in case he tries anything.

-O-

The first day so far is…uneventful, but very informative. Tayuya has quickly learned that this institution is created to help youkai adapt to human society. Which means, _everyone_ here is a potential target for her. The youkai must be somewhat dangerous, she guesses, but to what extent, she does not know. If all of them are like Chiyome or weaker, then she might as well tell Orochimaru to let the rest of the Sound Four come, and working together to wreak havoc. However, if they are weak, then Orochimaru likely will have very little use for them. Only the toughest people can hope to survive in Oto.

A much better idea, she quickly decided, would be to carefully screen out the weak ones from the strong. If she cannot take down the strongest ones here, then at least she will tell Orochimaru about them, so that he can send reinforcements, as needed.

Looking around her class, she does not notice anyone of interest. The only one even remotely interesting is a girl that walked in after the bell has already rung, and not even wearing the proper school uniform, at that. She is wearing a darker colored dress uniform, which clashes with the lighter shaded school uniform. The teacher, at first, is confused as to who she is, until the girl hands over a written note, apparently from the Headmaster. After quickly reading through the note, the teacher introduces the girl as Nakahara Sunako, a student who had originally begun attending a school in the human world, but decided to transfer.

The girl is quite the odd one, and Tayuya has seen many strange people in Oto, including the six-armed Kidomaru, and Sakon and Ukon sharing a body. For one, there is a dark aura around her, which seems to sap away the energy of everyone nearby. There is no easy way to explain it, but when she walked through the classroom earlier, all the lights above her went out, one by one, as she walked beneath them. Also, like one of her doki, she has long bangs that cover half of her face. Most people would not go around looking like that, and it is a sure way to scare away people. Her appearance is probably what most people would have imagined to be like vengeful female ghosts from the folklores. But then again, Hokumon no Tayuya is not most people. It will take more than that to keep her away.

After this introductory class session is over, she is going to talk to this Nakahara Sunako.

-O-

Being dragged around the campus by a beautiful girl is, Haku decided, quite a refreshing experience. He cannot help but notice the envious, incredulous, and lustful gazes directed towards the two of them. While Moka is blissfully unaware, Haku hears the not-so-quiet whispers of the people they pass through.

"Hey, is that really a guy?"

"I know! His face looks even better than ours!"

"I want him! His bishounen looks should be made a national treasure!"

"It's not fair! Why is the girliest looking guy in this school dragged around by the most beautiful girl? What hope is there for the rest of us average-looking guys?"

For Haku, all this is highly entertaining, but at the same time somewhat depressing. Is it really so hard to believe he is a guy? He would have thought, with his now shorter hair, and a boy's uniform, that he would look the part. But clearly that has yet to convince a sizeable portion of the student population.

They finally take a break from their exploration at a vending machine. Fortunately, Haku has already used one after arriving here, so he does not look like a complete idiot, wondering how to get his drink.

"This is so much fun, Haku!" Moka excited proclaims, while sipping from her tomato juice, "we should go take a look at the dorms next, to see where we will be staying."

"Of course," Haku agrees. He has already checked into his room yesterday, but there is no need to tell her that.

Their brief break, however, is rudely interrupted when Haku notices a hand reaching out for his collar. He quickly leaps back, and sees that the hand is attached to a very surprised-looking Komiya Saizou.

The other boy recovers from the failed attempt at intimidation, and snarls at Haku. "Ok, I don't know how you noticed me, but just to let you know, a girly-looking guy like you does not deserve the beautiful Akashiya Moka." He then turns towards Moka with self-confident grin, while puffing out his chest. "Wouldn't you say so, Moka-san? Why don't you come and have some fun with me instead, the bigger and stronger Komiya Saizou? I promise to treat you just right."

Moka, however, seems anything but impressed by the display. Instead of leaving Haku, she clings onto his left arm. Her eyes are fearful, as she looks into the face of the formidable looking boy.

"Um, no, thank you…I'm having fun right now with Haku right now." She answers, while quickly pulling Haku away yet again, her slim body belying the vampiric strength capable of dragging Haku like a ragdoll. Haku himself does not mind making the quick getaway, since he has no wish to fight. But the entire encounter has left no doubt as to Saizou's intent. Such a troublesome person won't go away easily, and a fight may be inevitable.

Saizou looks on angrily, as the two of them disappear around a corner. There are other students around them right now, so he cannot act. But later, when they are all alone…he will claim her.

-O-

During lunchtime, Tayuya quietly makes her way to the Sunako's table, after procuring for herself some food. She is easy to find; not only does her appearance stand out, but because of her strangeness, everyone else has already ostracized her, and left her table all to herself. For a bunch of monsters, it seems even Sunako is too much for them.

Standing opposite the girl, Tayuya calls out to her. "Hey. You mind if I sit here?"

The girl pauses in the middle of eating her bento. Seconds pass, and Tayuya begins to feel impatient. Does this girl have difficulty hearing?

"Oh, you are talking to me?" The girl slowly points to herself, and Tayuya almost smacks her forehead in annoyance. But she held herself back. She has no idea how Chiyome usually acts, but she would much rather not stand out too much here. Her red hair is already quite noticeable, and she should try to minimize the amount of attention she gets. After surreptitiously looking around to ensure no one else is watching them, she turns back to face Sunako.

"Yes, I am. You don't have anyone else around you, so I thought you could use the company."

"Ah, it's OK, I am used to it." The girl answers quietly, while continuing to eat her lunch.

Shaking her head, and taking the girl's lack of a rejection as a tacit acceptance, Tayuya sits down across from Sunako. She places her tray down, and then begins to analyze her target.

"I already heard your name when the teacher announced it. My name is Taira Chiyome, and I sit diagonally behind you to your left. Nice to meet you."

The girl nods, to show that she has heard her. Another minute passes in silence, as the girl finally stops her quiet eating, and places her chopsticks down.

"Um, I'm not very good at this kind of thing," the girl says carefully. But…it's…a pleasure to meet you."

_Well, at least she is talking, _Tayuya notes to herself. _At this rate, the lunch hour would be over before we can finish a whole conversation. Best take the initiative here._

"So, I am guessing the uniform you are wearing is from this other school that you were supposed to attend in the human world. Why did you decide to switch?"

Sunako looks up at her through her bangs. "Oh, I really didn't care for whichever school I go to. However," the girl's voice suddenly warms up, with a passion that was absent before, "when I heard about this school for monsters, I decided I really must attend it."

The difference between this girl, and the one she was talking to with just a moment ago, is so noticeable that Tayuya is momentarily taken aback.

"You willingly came to a school for monsters?" Tayuya's head starts to process this new information, and she suddenly has an epiphany. "If you were a monster, then you would have known about the school from before. However, you did not, which must mean…that you are a human."

Sunako only nods, and continues eating her lunch, as if this is no great news. For Tayuya, this certainly changes things. She would be the only other human on this campus, one who is very much in the same situation, and would be in danger of either being expelled, or killed, should the secret come out.

But then, Tayuya remembers something.

"Wait, but if you are human, why is it that the lights go out when you walk underneath them?"

"Oh…I don't know, they just do." Sunako shrugs. "But it's nicer anyway, for things to be dark. I hate the light, and I can never stand to be in it so long. That's why my bangs are so long…so that I can protect my eyes from the brightness of things around me."

_What an odd girl. But that can't really be characterized as any special ability._

"And...why the interest in monsters?"

"Because," the girl happily notes, "they are Creatures of the Dark. When I found out they would be here, I had to come and see them!" Sunako cups her hands around her cheeks, with a frown now in place of the happier expression earlier. "However, it's too bad that they are in their human form. Wouldn't it be more interesting to see them in their actual form?"

_Ok, most certainly a weirdo. If I brought her back to Oto, she might actually enjoy herself there, rather than being freaked out._ _But she really has nothing to offer, so this one is definitely not going._

"That would indeed… be interesting," Tayuya concedes. Though for her, the reason for the fascination is completely different, but Sunako doesn't need to know that. "And by the way, I'm sure you already heard about Youkai Gakuen's policy in homeroom today. Aren't you afraid that I would expose you as a human?"

Sunako looks up at Tayuya. The two of them stare at each other, though for Tayuya it is more difficult, as she cannot look through the cascade of black hair that covers half of Sunako's face, and is forced to guess as to what kind of expression are present in the girl's eyes. Is there a hint of fear, perhaps? Will she grovel for Tayuya's silence on this matter?

But Sunako surprises her yet again.

"Really, it doesn't matter whether if you do or not," the girl shrugs. "Although, to be honest, I would really like to stay here, so I would prefer if you don't. I still have yet to see anyone in their monster form." The thought quickly leads to another, as Sunako looks up, with some excitement and realization. "Oh, that reminds me. What is your monster form? I really want to see it!"

"Ah, you will probably see it, some other time. For now, though, I shouldn't show it to you where everyone else can see it, since I am technically not supposed to reveal it while at the school." Tayuya easily replies. It shouldn't be too hard to convince the girl when the time comes, when she shows her cursed seal form. "And by the way, I've decided not to expose you, as long as you don't do anything stupid against me that would make me do it."

Sunako nods, and picks up her chopsticks. The two of them eat in silence for the rest of the time. However, Tayuya made sure to walk with her back to class when the lunch hour ends. If Nakahara Sunako is not a candidate for capture, then at least she can be a source of information about the human world in this realm.

-O-

Haku's premonition proves to be correct.

The two of them had been taking a stroll in the surrounding forest on the second day before classes begin, until Moka remembered leaving a workbook behind in her room, so ran back to her dorm to get it. Haku told her he would meet her back in class, and had not followed her immediately. Rather, he decided to keep a discrete distance away out of sight, to be ready, just in case.

And Saizou evidently thought Haku had remained behind, so he decided to use this opportunity to try to take Moka by force.

Her sharp cries of help, for his name, immediately catch Haku's attention. He leaps into the trees and runs in her direction, while pulling out the senbon hidden in the sleeves of his jacket. When he finally comes upon the scene, he sees Moka backed up against a tree, with her hands held above her body against the tree by Saizou's left hand. With his right, Saizou is threatening to pull down her blouse. The leer on Saizou's face alone sickens Haku, who has seen plenty of such looks directed against him when he was still with Zabuza. No matter what people may think of Moka or his facial beauty, there is no need for them to act on it, especially when the attention is unwelcome.

Haku immediately puts a stop to Saizou's attempted assault with a flick of his hand. Saizou cries out in pain, and sees a piece of metal sticking out of his right arm. He quickly turns around, and without the support of his left hand, Moka slumps to the floor.

"Who did this?" He snarls, frantically looking around the forest for the one responsible. With a grimace, he pulls out the senbon, and let it drop to the forest floor. The scowl on Saizou's face becomes even more pronounced, when Haku leaps down to the ground before him, as though not at all worried for his own personal safety. "You! How dare you! For what you just did, I should beat you up and break all the bones in your body."

"Haku," Moka worriedly calls out from behind Saizou. "Be careful!"

"Heh, so you came back for her, eh?" Saizou sneers, with his hand stretched in front of his body in a challenge, while blocking Moka from Haku's view. "If you want her, then you have to go through me!"

In response, Haku smiles, and raises his right index finger to point behind Saizou.

"Who the hell do you think I am, I'm not that easily fooled," Saizou growls back.

"No, I insist. Take a look."

Saizou, still not trusting Haku, slants his body sideways, and turns his face slightly, so that he can face both Haku, and whatever it is the smaller boy is pointing towards.

And…behind him, right in front of a shocked Moka stands…another Haku.

"What…how is this possible?" Saizou stammers, unable to comprehend this. He quickly turns his head from one side to the other, and yet, his eyes are not fooling him, since there are two separate and identical Hakus. From the corner of his eye, he sees that Moka is equally confused, so he cannot be the only one who is seeing this.

The one in front Moka finally speaks up, with a frown. "I had a feeling you may do something brash, but for you to actually threaten Moka-san is unforgiveable." He holds up another of the blasted senbon in his left hand, while his right hand protectively shields Moka. "If you walk away now, and leave Moka-san alone, then we can pretend this never happened."

"Who do you think you are," Saizou incredulously points at the Haku in front of Moka. "I don't know how you are doing this trick, but no way am I letting you getting away with this. Prepare to get yourself beat up!"

As soon as he said this, Saizou turns around, and rears back his fist to punch the Haku behind him. That other Haku merely leaps away some distance away, while flinging more senbon at Saizou. While Saizou is distracted, the Haku standing in front of the vampire turns around to look Moka in the eyes. "Get back behind the tree, Moka-san. I will not let harm come to you, as long as I am alive."

_Or rather, as long as you are my mission_. _Although, to be perfectly honest, I think I would still look out for you, even if I am taken off the mission._

Moka involuntarily places her hands over her mouth, as she listens to Haku. Moisture can now be seen in her eyes, and a few treacherous drops are gathering, ready to fall.

"Ok…but be careful, Haku. This guy is really strong." Moka pleads, with a quavering voice. "I don't want to see you hurt."

At that, Haku's eyes soften, though his stance does not slacken. His Mizu Bunshin has been holding Saizou off well so far, but only because it has been able to dodge every punch coming his way.

"I will." Haku promises her.

"Haku…" Moka begins leaning in closer to his face.

"Moka-san…." Haku looks in her eyes steadily, taking in her gaze. Now, if only….

"Hey! Don't ignore me!"

Ah yes, of course, real life cannot be so ideal. With some regret, Haku looks to the side, in time to see Saizou transforming. The new Saizou turns his head towards the heavens, and emits a loud laugh. "Ha, let's see you try to take me on now, you girly boy! No way can you take me on in my real form!"

With renewed determination, the monster quickly rushes the Bunshin, and scatters the other Haku into a puddle of water.

"I knew it! You are just full of tricks, with no substance." With only one Haku left, Saizou turns around, and runs towards his remaining opponent, with his right hand opened wide.

Haku easily dodges the hand with a turn of his upper torso. He then whips his right hand around in an attempt to puncture Saizou's outstretched arm with his senbon. The new form of Saizou, however, proves to be tougher than the human form, and manages to dodge Haku just before the senbon can puncture the same spot on his arm.

"I'm not falling for the same thing twice," Saizou sneers, while quickly countering with his left hand. If the boy does not transform, then he will get squashed, simple as that. Haku, however, reacts quickly, and holds out both of his fists with the senbon pointing outwards. Saizou's hand, though impressively large, also served to block out his view of Haku. Only after all eight senbons have pierced through his palm does he retract his hand in pain and impotent rage.

"Damn you!" The monster cradles his injured left hand with his right, while directing the most intimidating glare he can manage at the one responsible for the pain. Out of the peripheral view of his eyes, he sees pink strands of hair coming from behind a tree. An idea comes to him, and his scowl turns into a vengeful smirk. "But if I can't get you, then Moka is going to take the hit for you instead."

Haku's eyes widen, and he races towards the nearby tree. No way will he allow for a repeat of his failure with Zabuza to occur here. He may have only met Moka for one day, but he does not think he can live with himself if the same thing happens to her.

Moka, who sees through the real intention of Saizou, cries out in alarm. "No, Haku, don't!"

But it comes too late, as Saizou finally feels, with satisfaction, the impact of his right fist against Haku. The inhuman force of the blow throws Haku into the air, and into the path of the tree Moka is hiding behind. Moka frantically comes out from behind her cover, and worriedly looks over Haku.

"What an idiot!" Saizou mocks, while slowly approaching his classmates. "Now then, I can finally pay him back for what he did to my hand, and take you for myself."

Moka, however, is barely paying any attention to the threat at hand. Instead, to the ire of Saizou, she is still staring at Haku's face, which she has now cradled to her lap. "Haku, are you alright?" Moka asks, needlessly.

Opening his eyes, Haku manages a grimaced smile. "That hurts, but I can still fight. Sorry for worrying you, Moka-san. Please run towards the school, and get the teachers."

"No, I'm not leaving you here!" Moka protests.

Haku shakes his head, and attempts to stand up, while grabbing onto Moka. However, his hand accidentally brushes by Moka's collar, and takes the rosario off the collar.

Both of them look on incredulously at the cross, now in Haku's right hand. The seal, which has never been taken off from Moka before since it was first placed on her.

"Ah, the cross came off." Moka mutters, with disbelief.

Then, before the eyes of the two males, a visible explosion of energy covers the pink-haired girl. The light is so bright, that both of them are forced to shield their eyes.

_So this is the true power of a vampire. _

Haku's thought is mirrored out loud by Saizou, whose voice finally shows a hint of fear. Haku, having been forewarned by the Headmaster, knew what to expect. But even still, the power being released by the unsealed vampire is quite impressive. It is almost like a repeat of Naruto on the bridge in Nami, except, hopefully, things will turn out less painfully for him.

When the light dies down, in the place of the pink haired girl stands a silver-haired girl. Equally, if not even more beautiful. Where the previous version of Moka seems sweet natured and unable to hurt anyone, the newly unveiled version of the vampire is brimming with self-confidence and power.

"So, you wanted to take me for yourself, hum?" The vampire mocks and extends her arm out, inviting Saizou to come forward. "Why don't you give it a try then?"

If Haku were in Saizou's place, he would not readily accept the challenge. Haku may only be a human, but even he can tell that there is a large gap of power in between the two of them. Saizou cannot possibly win this. And yet, the other monster, without Haku's sense of caution, looks ready to give it a go.

"Even if you are a vampire, I am a hybrid ayashi. I will not back down." Saizou charges forward yet again. But instead of standing where he expected her to be, Moka now stands behind him, with an unimpressed look on her face. He didn't even see her move, and his shocked expression indicates his surprise.

"You really don't have much to show for your size." With a fierce kick skyward, Moka launches Saizou's body into the air, and into a tree some distance away. "You don't have what it takes to challenge me at all." Then, with grave finality, the vampire lowers her leg, and looks on unpityingly upon the bloodied form of the one who dared to oppose her power. "Know your place."

She turns away, and leisure walks back towards Haku, who has, in the meantime, gotten off the ground. The red eyes of the vampire are intimidating, but Haku holds her gaze with his, without looking away. The Moka now facing him is sure of her own power, and seem to luxuriate in the way she can lock onto his attention. This is no mere girl, and Haku knows, even without her display against Saizou, that she is not to be taken lightly.

"Why do you not fear my power?" Moka asks bluntly, and stops just in front of Haku. "Only a human's blood can taste like yours, so I know you cannot be a monster." Her eyes look into his, searchingly, but with also a hint of curiosity. "That guy feared it as soon as he felt it, and yet here you stand before me, not quavering in the least. Explain."

Now looking at her closer, Haku admits to himself that this version of Moka is indeed quite beautiful. A dangerous kind of beauty that at once makes him cautious, and yet wanting to see her more. So beautiful, that Haku finds himself mesmerized, and only realized he has kept her waiting when she begins to tap the ground impatiently.

"Ah, I have previously met someone who also displayed a great amount of power. Not that I am immune to it, but I suppose I have been somewhat conditioned by the previous exposure." Taking a pause, Haku presses onward, keeping his voice as level as possible. "It seems quite obvious, but I still must ask, is this the true self of Moka-san?"

The girl shakes her head, in response. "This is my inner form. I have been sleeping for several years now, and have just been rudely awakened. I can still see, hear, and feel everything that my outer form can, however." With a smirk, the vampire closes in, and presses her body lightly against Haku. "And I did not appreciate being drenched."

Haku's eyes widen, and he suddenly feels the urge to pull away, like a rabbit that has been cornered by a predator. At the same time, inexplicably, he cannot force himself to get away. He does not know why, but it almost seems as if his body does not want to leave, as though it is a foregone conclusion that he will end up her prey. It is very confusing, and Haku is sure he has never felt this way before.

"I am guessing a sincere apology will not suffice," Haku hazards. It doesn't hurt to try.

"No it won't," Moka agrees. "I am still quite weak, having been dormant for such a long time. Therefore, to make it up to me," her mouth is now next to his ear, teasing and tickling him with her breathe, causing him to involuntarily shudder, "I want your blood. The outer me really likes it, and I want to have a sample as well."

With resignation, Haku nods, and accepts his punishment. This will at least help him remember not to let her come in contact with a stray suiton, or else he is going to find himself being fed on more often.

Without further warning, Moka bites into his neck, in the same spot chosen by the other Moka. There is an immediately apparent difference between the two forms of Moka…this one is far less gentle. Haku feels the pain, as he feels the insistent tug on his neck, though at the same time, perversely, it seems that part of his brain is deriving some pleasure signals from this. He really needs to get his head checked, if this happens too often.

Once again, his body is helplessly trapped against Moka, and this time, the hold on his body is even stronger than before. She really is a natural predator, and he is nothing more than her favorite quarry. Who also happens to be charged with her safety, ironically enough. Haku finds himself questioning the wisdom of the Headmaster. The inner Moka is perfectly capable of protecting herself.

When Moka finally pulls away, Haku feels, quite simply, drained. And yet, upon seeing the close-eyed, satisfied look on the vampire's face, he cannot bring himself to say anything negative. Her face, which previously commanded respect from him, now looks positively angelic, though still imperious.

"Your blood really is very good," Moka finally opens her eyes to look at him. "It makes me want to have more." With a teasing grin, she closes in yet again. Haku, with some caution in his eyes, and the heretofore absent sense of self-preservation finally kicking in, pulls away. If she keeps taking more, he may actually die.

"But not right now," she stops, before taking the rosario still clutched in his hand. "I'm feeling better now, but I still need to go back to sleep. Please take good care of the outer me."

With that said, she places the cross onto the collar, and a bright flash of light later, the pink-haired version of Moka slumps forward. Haku quickly steps forward to let her lean into him, while encircling his arms around her protectively.

Thankfully, the girl wakes up momentarily, and blearily looks up into Haku's face. "What happened?"

Somewhat surprised, as he had believed the two sides of Moka shared their memories, Haku decides to hold off with the explanation. "I will tell you later," he gently says, while assisting Moka to stand up. "Come on, let us go to class."

* * *

**A.N. **Nakahara Sunako is from the manga Yamato nadeshiko shichi henge (The Wallflower), which I do not own. For those of you who have read it, you can probably figure out why it seems appropriate for me to include her, even though she is the protagonist from a shoujo manga now in a harem comedy universe. For those of you that did not, it's not necessary to read it to understand my story. I will be explaining any missing details that you did not know, so no worries. And also, she will not be a major character of the story.

Hokumon no Tayuya = 北門の多由也, or, Tayuya of the North Gate, as she is more properly known from the Naruto universe.

Please read and offer constructive review.


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